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Enrollments continue to climb at KPC

Although community college growth nationally is slowing, Kenai Peninsula College's growth continues to build.

"While we have not yet experienced that, I believe we will. Like the economy, Alaska usually lags a bit behind trend-wise. One thing we do know is that capacity is an issue for us and not being able to meet current demand, particularly in E-Learning courses, has affected our potential growth beyond what we have been experiencing," said KPC Director Gary Turner.

It appears KPC will finish the current semester with enrollments up approximately 24 percent in headcount and 17.5 percent in student credit hours over the previous fall. Enrollment for the upcoming spring semester is currently ahead of the same point last year, up more than 20 percent in headcount and more than 17 percent in student credit hours, with 2043 students enrolled across the KPC system.

With just over five weeks until the first day of spring semester classes, of 423 class sections being offered, more than 70 are full and 50 are within five seats of being full.

Digital text books available for upcoming spring semester Students will have the option to purchase select text book titles as E-books directly through the Kenai River Campus Bookstore for the spring semester. E-books have been available in the past, but only through the MBS Direct web site.

If a textbook is available as an E-book, there will be a packaged card on the shelf next to the hard copy of the textbook. Students will take the card to the cashier who will scan a barcode, which, in addition to ringing up the price, will also activate a code that is printed on the card. Once the code has been activated, students can then go online and download the book. The E-book is fully refundable up to the point that the student downloads it. Once it has been downloaded, the cost is non-refundable.

New student club launched There is a new Swing Dance Club at KRC and although the club had very little time to publicize its first public beginning and advanced instruction workshops, more than 25 people participated. The club was conceived and organized by KRC student Daniel Rozak.

According to Kathy Becher, KRC advanced nurse practitioner and club advisor, the club will not only provide a fun diversion for students, but it is also a means to increase student's cardiovascular workouts and social networking as well as alleviate winter blues and stress as finals approach.

Future dances and instruction workshops are planned to provide a great way for students and the public to have some indoor fun during the limited daylight of the Alaskan winter.

KRC welders working toward certificationWelding instructor Fritz Miller announced that 11 welding students have been training for and will be taking the U.S. Coast Guard aluminum welding certification. According to Miller, once certified, these welders will, among other things, be able to provide Kenai's commercial fishing fleet with much needed modification and repair services during the short Cook Inlet fishing season.